Since the end of WWII and the movement towards independence of former colonies, development cooperation has become an important issue for world governments as well as for academicians. Different theories about the causation of development and underdevelopment have emerged since the 1950´s and have been the subject of fervent discussions within the academic community. A multitude of theories and approaches have been the result of these discussions and can be used to understand development and its related implications. This thesis will provide an overview of the most relevant theories of development and show how they are the product of their respective time. The works of the most influential authors of the respective theories will support the theoretical discussion in order to offer the framework for the deduction of motives.
This thesis focuses only on the theories that examine state or actors behavior in development cooperation in general, in order to elucidate the motives of these states or actors. A y-centered research approach (Gerring, 2006) has been used in order to answer the following question: “Can China´s motives for development cooperation be explained by the models of the classical theories of development?”
The dependent variable (y) is China´s motives and the independent variables (x1, 2, 3, 4,n) are the motives derived from the classical theories. This paper investigates whether there is a correlation between these traditional motives and the Chinese motives or whether the Chinese motivations cannot be explained by the classical theories. The last part of this thesis is a discussion of the following hypothesis, which reflects my research questions and the relationship of the variables:
Chinese motives highly correlate with the motives described by traditional development theories.
The comparison, that has been deduced, might not be immediately evident to the reader, seeing that this is a comparison of motives derived from a theoretical discussion (chapter 2 and 3), with motives that were derived from empirical observations (chapter 4).
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- INTRODUCTION
- THEORETICAL APPROACH TO DEVELOPMENT POLITICS
- FOCUS ON THE THEORETICAL CONCEPTS
- MODERNIZATION THEORY
- DEPENDENCY THEORY
- POST COLONIALISM
- WORLD SYSTEMS THEORY
- GLOBALIZATION THEORY
- POST-DEVELOPMENT THEORY
- WESTERN MOTIVATIONS – IS THE WESTERN DONOR’S BEHAVIOR BASED ON ALTRUISM?
- WHAT DOMINATES THE WESTERN DONOR BEHAVIOR?
- FROM THEORIES TO MOTIVES
- A CHRONOLOGY OF AID
- KEY MOTIVES
- INTERNAL MOTIVES
- EXTERNAL MOTIVES
- IS CHINA´S DEVELOPMENT POLICY IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA IN LINE WITH TO THE TRADITIONAL PERCEPTION OF MOTIVES OF DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION?
- CHINA’S “DIFFERENT APPROACH” TO DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION
- CHINA´S POLICY IN AFRICA: NEO-COLONIALISM VS. “WIN-WIN-COOPERATION”
- INTERNAL DIMENSION
- EXTERNAL DIMENSION
- CHINA’S OPERATIONS IN AFRICA: WHICH TOOLS ARE USED TO PURSUE THE POLITICAL AGENDA?
- THE REFORM OF 1995
- AFRICAN PERCEPTIONS ON CHINA IN AFRICA – POST-COLONIAL AND POST�DEVELOPMENT PERCEPTIONS
- COMPARISON OF THE “WESTERN” AND CHINESE MOTIVES
- FIND AN ANSWER TO THE HYPOTHESIS
- SIMILARITIES
- OPPOSITIONS
- CONCLUSION
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
The aim of this thesis is to evaluate Chinese development politics, focusing on the motives behind their development cooperation. The thesis examines how Chinese motives compare to the traditional motives of Western development cooperation, as described by various development theories.
- The theoretical concepts of development politics
- The motives behind Western development cooperation
- The motives behind Chinese development cooperation, specifically in Sub-Saharan Africa
- The comparison of traditional and Chinese motives
- The impact of China's development politics on African perceptions
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
Chapter 2: Theoretical Approach to Development Politics This chapter provides an overview of key development theories that have emerged since World War II. The author examines modernization theory, dependency theory (including post-colonialism), world-systems theory, globalization theory, and post-development theory, analyzing their main arguments and critiques. This provides a framework for understanding the development of motives within development cooperation.
Chapter 3: Western Motivations – Is the Western Donor’s Behavior Based on Altruism? This chapter examines the motives behind traditional Western development cooperation, drawing on the theoretical frameworks discussed in Chapter 2. The author explores internal motives, such as commercial interests and political considerations, as well as external motives, including the recipient country's political and economic situation and global security concerns. The chapter also discusses the shift in Western aid approaches over time, highlighting the influence of factors such as civil society, media, and the rise of international organizations.
Chapter 4: Is China´s Development Policy in Sub-Saharan Africa in Line with the Traditional Perception of Motives of Development Cooperation? This chapter focuses on China's development strategy in sub-Saharan Africa, specifically after the 1995 reform, which marked a turning point in their approach. The author analyzes China's internal motives, including their desire for access to resources, new markets, and international influence, as well as their "One China" policy. The chapter also explores China's external motives, including their non-interference policy and their focus on supporting countries with low per capita income. The author then examines the tools China uses to pursue its development agenda, including concessional loans, export seller's credits, export buyer's credits, and the Forum of China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). The chapter concludes by examining African perceptions of China's presence, exploring both positive and negative aspects.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This thesis examines the development cooperation strategies of both traditional Western donors and China, focusing on the motives behind their actions. Key terms include development cooperation, modernization theory, dependency theory, world-systems theory, globalization theory, post-development theory, aid allocation, tied aid, concessional loans, non-interference policy, One China policy, sub-Saharan Africa, African perceptions, and Washington vs. Beijing consensus.
- Quote paper
- Loris Kempchen (Author), 2015, Traditional motives for development cooperation. An evaluation of Chinese development politics, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/306084
